The limits of the traditional model of accessing graphics on computer systems are being reached, in part because memory and bus speeds have not kept up with the advancements in main processors and/or graphics processors. In general, the current model for preparing a frame using bitmaps requires too much data processing to keep up with the hardware refresh rate when complex graphics effects are desired. As a result, when complex graphics effects are attempted with conventional graphics models, instead of completing the changes that result in the perceived visual effects in time for the next frame, the changes may be added over different frames, causing results that are visually undesirable.
Further, this problem is aggravated by the introduction of three-dimensional (3D) graphics into the two-dimensional (2D) compositing system to display a mixed scene with 2D images and 3D scenes. One of the problems with such a mixed system is how to translate a user's 2D mechanical input with a mouse, pen or other pointing device into a computer input when the user is pointing at a 2D view of a 3D scene on a computer display screen. What is needed is a graphics generation and compositing system that can translate the user input into computer input for 3D scenes as well as the standard 2D images.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.